THE PRESIDENT: I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi
citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein. I'm with six other
Iraqi citizens, as well, who suffered the same fate. They are examples
of the brutality of the tyrant.

I am also here with Marvin Zindler, of Houston, Texas. I
appreciate Joe Agris, the doctor who helped put these hands on these
men; Don North, the documentary producer who made a film of this
brutality, which brought the plight of these gentlemen to the attention
of Marvin and his foundation. These men had hands restored because of
the generosity and love of an American citizen. And I am so proud to
welcome them to the Oval Office.

I assured them we have a plan to help Iraq achieve free elections.
We'll transfer full sovereignty. They were pleased to hear that
America will stay and help with security. We will continue to work on
reconstruction matters. I assured them I will continue to ask the
world to help. And they want to vote. They want -- they want to have
elections. And they're going back to Iraq soon, and we're so proud to
have them here in the Oval Office.

Again, thank you, sir, for coming.

MR. KADHIM: Thank you very much.

THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate you. Thank you. Please, be seated,
and I'll answer a couple of questions.

Terry.

Q Mr. President, can you say why General Sanchez is being
replaced as the top commander in Iraq? Is that in any way related to
the prisoner abuse scandal? And who is going to replace him?

THE PRESIDENT: Rick Sanchez has done a fabulous job. He's been
there for a long time. His service has been exemplary. And the
Defense Department will add further comments to it.

Mike, welcome. It's good to see you.

Q Mr. President, Chirac's office is quoted as saying that
President Chirac told you that the transfer of power has to be real.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q Can you describe what you may have said to him to reassure
him that the transfer of power would be real?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes -- what President Chirac and others have said
is they want to make sure that the transfer of sovereignty to the
interim government is a real transfer. And that's what we want. We
want there to be a complete and real transfer of sovereignty so that
the Iraqi citizens realize the fate of their country is now their
responsibility. And we'll be there to help. And we'll help in a
variety of ways. We'll help by making sure our security forces are
there to work with their security forces. We'll help to make sure the
reconstruction money we have set aside is well spent. We'll help by
getting -- to continue to work with other countries to help aid a free
Iraq. We'll do what we need to do to help the interim government
succeed in getting to the period of free elections. And I had a great
conversation with President Chirac. We share the same goal, a free and
stable and peaceful Iraq.

Yes, Dick.

Q Mr. President, looking forward a bit to the elections that
you'd like to see in Iraq, is it imperative for Iraq to end up with a
democracy? Or are free elections enough to satisfy your aims at this
point?

THE PRESIDENT: What's imperative is that the Iraqi citizens
develop a constitution that they can call their own, a constitution
written and approved by Iraqis. As I said last night, our intention
was never to have Iraq look like America. Our intention is for Iraq to
be free and stable and whole -- at peace with its neighbors. A free
Iraq will help change the history of the greater Middle East. A free
Iraq will show the rest of the world that when people are given a
chance to raise their families in peace and security, a civil society
that's stable and hopeful will develop. And that's what we want. We
want a society where -- where the men who've suffered so much because
of the whims of one brutal man -- where their children can grow up and
realize their full potential, where the schools work, where the health
care system is good. And there's no doubt in my mind that Iraq can
achieve this great dream and vision. And there's no doubt in my mind,
some day their children will come to America and say, thank goodness
America stood the line, and was strong, and did not falter in the face
of the violence of a few.